Hi Everyone,
I know I only left the forum a couple of weeks ago but I felt I should share some great news with you – my dear friends! It is my sincere wish that it inspires/offers hope to others.
Earlier this week our friend Latte did some early shopping at the local supermarket where my daughter works and deliberately joined the queue at her till. Latte and my daughter had a good long chat and Latte mentioned that Physio and I would welcome her visit anytime. It ended with Latte and my daughter hugging each other. Latte telephoned me and told me all.
Yesterday, my wife went to the supermarket and she made straight for our daughter, who was glad to see her mum! Physio reiterated that my daughter was welcome to visit anytime and straight after work she came round!
I met her at the door and we had a good hug. She said she doesn’t like my beard (but what the heck!).
Our daughter spent at least 2 hours with us before her mum drove her back to her flat (apartment). While our daughter was here we had to agree on some ground rules: we don’t knock Watchtower and she won’t try and convert us back! It seemed to work.
Our daughter is still deeply entrenched in the religion and she is still surrounded by the same group of friends – all die-hard JWs. It won’t be easy to get her away from such a hold but at least a breakthrough has been made and Physio and I are delighted. Our daughter even said she’d invite us round to her flat for dinner some time!!!
A couple of things need mentioning here because they are lessons learnt and may be of help to others in a similar situation:
- Latte was instrumental in our getting to see our daughter so this shows that while our loved ones may be shunning us it is important that our friends play their part in helping improve the situation. It won’t work in all cases, I know, but Latte’s chatting to our daughter and letting her know that we are still very spiritual (not in the JW sense) and that we love her very much, etc., struck home.
- Be patient. Physio and I know that we must tread slowly and carefully. This means not deriding the organisation but finding common ground we can all agree on and talk about. Hopefully, when one is seen to be happy and enjoying life after the Borg it will have a great impact.
It’s very early days yet and I don’t know what will transpire after our daughter tells her sibling sister and friends that she’s visited us. Our daughter is headstrong so might not be swerved, but we all know how the JWs can force their influence.
When our daughter left we hugged each other and I again told her I loved her. As she walked to the car with her mum I said to please not leave it too long before her next visit, to which she replied "I won’t! I’ve left it too long already!"
Oh, by the way, I never once skipped on telling the truth. I was asked if I associated with exJWs and I said I did. Ultimately truth cannot be argued with and I strongly believe that being open with our daughter will help win her back. To do otherwise and for her to find out would inevitably lose us her trust.
Thanks for reading. One day when our daughter is completely free of the Borg I’d like to show her all these messages which emphasise what a wonderful group of true loving people you are!
Dansk